Tag Archives: Balsamic Vinegar

Fig Preserves with Balsamic Vinegar and Black Pepper

Posted on by
107

Argh! “The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men”. It’s happened again. I have a schedule for these posts. I really do. Today’s entry, for example, was to have been an instructional post detailing how to make Italian mozzarella. The Fates, however, intervened. In the days preceding my trip to Michigan, I failed twice to make the cheese.  I thought I’d be able to try again once I returned home but soon there were peppers to pickle, figs to preserve, olives to cure, and a seemingly endless stream of posts to read and comments to write. So — and by stating my plans I’m taking a big risk with those pesky Fates —  I decided to schedule Italian mozzarella for October 10th.

Now, pushing mozzarella off into the future left me in a bind.  I had no post for today. Earlier I mentioned I had figs to preserve. Well, that recipe suddenly became today’s post, meaning I had some writing to do. As you can see, I got it done but, as for the backlog of posts & comments, I’m still working on them. Sorry for the delay.

 *     *     *

 *     *     *

A few weeks ago, chaiselongue1 posted Jamming, an entry about making fig jam. (If you’re not familiar with this beautiful blog, olivesandartichokes, now is as good a time as any to check it out.) I thought that jam sounded delicious but that’s about as far as it went — until a market last week had crates of Mission figs for half the price I’d previously seen. Next thing you know, I’ve got 2 crates (about 3 lbs) of figs in my cart. Once I got home, I checked the Jamming post again, as well as the Pick Your Own website, as I always do before I preserve anything. Once there, a sentence caught my eye. “If you like strawberry jam, you’ll love fig jam.” That got me to thinking. I went back to the recipe I’d shared for strawberry jam with balsamic vinegar (thanks, Sarah!) and decided to use it as a guide for these preserves.

Unlike the strawberry recipe – but like Jamming — this recipe doesn’t use pectin. It takes a bit longer to prepare but if you take your time, the preserves will set as nicely as if you used pectin. Just like the strawberry jam, however, I included cracked black pepper. I really enjoyed the “bite” it brought to the strawberries. Lastly, these figs were sweet enough, allowing me to use less sugar than was used with the strawberries. Besides, I’ve got plans for these preserves that don’t involve toast. Stay tuned …

 *     *     *

*     *     *

Fig Preserves with Balsamic Vinegar and Black Pepper Recipe 

yield: 5 – 6 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 – 5 cups fresh Mission figs, prepped & chopped (about 3 lbs.)
  • 3 cups sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tsp butter (optional)
  • pinch of salt
  • ⅔ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp cracked black pepper

Directions

To Prepare

  1. Sterilize the jars and wash the jar lids and rings in hot, soapy water. Place lids and rings in a deep bowl and pour near-boiling water over them.
  2. Start bringing to boil a large, deep canning kettle of water to be used for the canning process and a second, smaller pot of water to be used to replenish water that may boil away during the canning process.
  3. Trim stem and bottom of each fig before chopping. When finished, use a potato masher to smash them.

To Make the Jam

  1. Place a small plate in the freezer. Place the figs, sugar, and water into a sauce pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, add the salt, optional butter, and stir occasionally until a rolling boil is achieved. (A rolling boil is one that cannot be stirred away. Using a candy thermometer, that’s about 220˚F (104˚ C).)
  2. Once a rolling boil has been achieved, place a small amount of the fig mixture on the now frozen plate. Once the cooked figs have returned to room temperature, check to see if it is jam-like. If too runny, continue cooking for 10 minutes and test again. When the right consistency is achieved, remove from heat and continue to the next step.
  3. With a large spoon, carefully skim the surface to remove any foam.
  4. Add the balsamic, black pepper, and  lemon juice. Stir well to thoroughly combine.

To Preserve

  1. Using a funnel and large ladle, fill each jar to ¼ inch from the rim. Wipe the rim to make sure no jam has spilt, place a lid on each jar, and then the ring, tightening until “finger tight” but not as tight as you can make it. Act quickly, filling and capping all the jars.
  2. Jars placed directly on the kettle’s bottom might burst, so, a rack of some sort must be put into the canning kettle to cover the bottom. Many large pots have one, as do many pressure cookers.
  3. Keep each jar level as you place them, one by one, into the canning kettle filled with now boiling water. The jars should not touch each other, nor should they be allowed to tip over. Depending upon the size of the kettle and number of jars, you may need to work in batches.
  4. Once the jars are in the kettle, make sure that there is at least one inch of water over the top of the tallest jar(s). If not, add boiling water from the smaller pot mentioned in Step 2 of  To Prepare.
  5. Cover the pot and begin timing when the water returns to the boil. The jars must be boiled, “processed”, for 5 to 10 minutes, depending upon the size of jar used.
  6. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet on a level surface and line it with a clean kitchen towel.
  7. Once the time has passed, carefully remove each jar and place it on to the towel-lined baking sheet. Leave about an inch separating the jars.
  8. Once all the jars have been processed and placed on the baking sheet, remove the baking sheet & jars to a place that is draft-free and where they will remain undisturbed for 24 hours.
  9. After 24 hours have passed, check each jar to insure it’s sealed and then store on a shelf in a cool, dark place, where it will stay fresh for months.

*     *     *

Notes

Once opened, the preserves should be refrigerated and fully used within a month.

*     *     *

Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Pancetta-Topped Roast Loin of Pork with Fig Preserves

*     *     *

It’s déjà vu all over again …

It’s that time of year again. Concord grape time, that is. In our farmers markets, groceries, and vegetable/fruit stands, the grapes are on full display. Although a sure sign of Summer’s end, they do mean that it’s time to start making some jelly — and I’ve got a few pounds of the blue beauties just waiting to be transformed.  I’ll be following a recipe that I used last year. If you’re interested in doing the same or just want to check it out, you can do so by clicking HERE.

*     *     *

Advertisement

The Kitchens have a Peach of a Jam

Posted on by
115

*     *     *

Peaches in this area are just passing their peak season and the farmers markets are filled with them. Over the next few weeks, peaches will disappear and the pears and apples will supplant them. For now, though, they seem to be calling to me, just as the tart cherries, blueberries, and strawberries did before them. So, I’ve answered their call and bought some each time I’ve gone to the market. Admittedly, the first purchases were eaten as-is. How could I not?  After that, I made ice cream and posted a recipe in honor of Mom’s birthday last week. Having made a few quarts of peach ice cream, it was time to move on.

Several weeks ago, when strawberries were at their peak for this area, I posted a strawberry jam recipe made with Balsamic vinegar and black pepper. In the Comments section of that post, Betsy, of Bits and Bread Crumbs, and Elaine, of Le Petit Potager, discussed making peach jam.  Betsy wondered about using balsamic and black pepper. Hmm …

After my last trip to the farmers market, I had what I thought was enough peaches to make a small-ish batch of peach jam — with a little balsamic vinegar. The recipe enclosed within the pectin packaging called for 4 cups of cleaned fruit. Incredibly, I somehow ended up with 7½ cups. I decided to use 6 cups here and to save the rest for a custard-based ice cream. (Recipe to come.) This recipe is very similar to the one used to make the strawberry jam, except I used white balsamic so that the peaches wouldn’t discolor; I used both lemon juice and zest; and, I didn’t add any pepper — maybe next time. Because I used so many more peaches than I had intended, I followed a tip from the Pick Your Own website. The author always adds an additional 20% of pectin than what the recipe calls for, just to ensure a good set. So, rather than add 49 g (1 envelope) I added 60 g to the peach mixture. My jam set perfectly although, next time, if I use 6 cups of peaches, I’ll increase the amount of white balsamic by another tablespoonful or two.

What if you’re not a balsamic lover? What if you just want to make some really good peach jam? Well, then, waste no time and click this link to go to Barb’s Just a Smidgen blog, where you’ll be treated to a fantastic recipe for making peach jam, not to mention a thorough, step by step, description of the canning process.

*     *     *

*     *     *

Peach with Balsamic Vinegar Jam Recipe 

yield: 7 – 8 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 cups fresh peaches, cleaned, peeled, sliced or chopped
  • 4 cups sugar – separated
  • 1 envelope + 20% more low-sugar pectin (60 g  total pectin)
  • 1 tsp butter (optional)
  • pinch of salt
  • juice & zest of one medium-sized lemon
  • ½ cup white balsamic vinegar

Directions

To Prepare

  1. Sterilize the jars and wash the jar lids and bands in hot, soapy water. Place lids and bands in a deep bowl and pour near-boiling water over them.
  2. Start bringing to boil a large, deep canning kettle of water to be used for the canning process and a second, smaller pot of water to be used to replenish water that may boil away during the canning process.
  3. Mix the pectin with ¼ cup of the sugar. Set aside.
  4. Working in batches, add sliced/chopped peaches into a large bowl and use a potato masher to smash them as much as you like. I skipped this step; my slices were thin and needed no further handling.

To Make the Jam

  1. Place the peaches and the pectin-sugar mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot over a med-high heat. A Dutch oven works nicely. Add butter, if desired, to limit foam.
  2. Stirring frequently, you are heating the peaches until a rolling boil is achieved at about 220˚F. A rolling boil is one that will not dissipate when the pot’s contents are stirred.
  3. Add the remaining sugar and stir well. Stir frequently while you wait for the pot to return to a rolling boil.
  4. Once a rolling boil has returned, keep stirring for exactly one minute before removing the pot from the heat.
  5. With a large spoon, carefully skim the surface to remove any foam.
  6. Add balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and zest. Stir well to thoroughly combine.

To Preserve

  1. Using a funnel and large ladle, fill each jar to ¼ inch from the rim. Wipe the rim to make sure no jam has spilt, place a lid on each jar, and then the band, tightening until “finger tight” but not as tight as you can make it. Act quickly, filling and capping all the jars.
  2. Jars placed directly on the kettle’s bottom might burst, so, a rack of some sort must be put into the canning kettle to cover the bottom. Many large pots have one, as do many pressure cookers. (I use a rack from an old pot that has long since been discarded.)
  3. Keep each jar level as you place them, one by one, into the canning kettle filled with now boiling water. The jars should not touch each other, nor should they be allowed to tip over. Depending upon the size of the kettle and number of jars, you may need to work in batches.
  4. Once the jars are in the kettle, make sure that there is at least one inch of water over the top of the tallest jar(s). If not, add boiling water from the smaller pot mentioned in Step 2 of  To Prepare.
  5. Cover the pot and begin timing when the water returns to the boil. The jars must be boiled, “processed”, for 10 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet on a level surface and line it with a clean kitchen towel.
  7. Once 10 minutes have passed, carefully remove each jar and place it on to the towel-lined baking sheet. Leave about an inch separating the jars.
  8. Once all the jars have been processed and placed on the baking sheet, remove the baking sheet & jars to a place that is draft-free and where they will remain undisturbed for 24 hours.
  9. After 24 hours have passed, check each jar to insure it’s sealed and then store on a shelf in a cool, dark place, where it will stay fresh for months.

*     *     *

It’s déjà vu all over again …

This time of year, our farmers markets are filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, and with Labor Day barbecues quickly approaching, there’s no better time to make a batch of Chicago-style giardiniera. This colorful condiment is a great way to add some crunch, and a little heat, to your burgers, dogs, wurst, and sandwiches. The recipe was shared last August and you can find it by clicking  HERE.

*     *     *

By any other name …

“Sunset Celebration”

 *     *     *

A Blogger’s Relaxing Day Leads To A Jam-Filled One For Me

Posted on by
108

You may recall, two weeks ago my mascarpone post contained three recipes, one of which paired strawberries with balsamic vinegar. What some of you may not know is that the day before, my blogging buddy, Sarah, whose blog Sarah’s Place, is one worth checking out, had a “relaxing” day that included starting and making a great deal of progress on a knitting project; preparing strawberry balsamic and black pepper jam from a recipe that she found on another worthwhile blog, Sydney’s Kitchen; and baking a rosemary-herbed focaccia studded with cherries. Did you notice the part about the jam? It sure did catch my eye, particularly arriving when it did, just before my own post featuring those same flavors. Suddenly, I was thinking about making jam.

Well, coincidentally, that Friday, a 2nd blogging friend, Michael, whose blog Oishi is another that I enjoy, posted a salad recipe featuring — you guessed it — strawberries with balsamic … and this time bleu cheese, too. It was then that I decided to make jam and, as I wrote to Michael, I would buy enough berries to make his salad, too. The very next morning at the Evanston farmers market, once Max had his much-anticipated rendezvous with Debra, the crossing guard, I found myself standing before 3 long tables covered with quarts of Michigan strawberries, over which hung a giant sign, “Last Chance.” Whatever doubts I may have had were quickly vanquished. I bought 3 quarts and moved on to the Egg Ladies’ stall.

Once home, I began to have second thoughts. No, not about making the jam; that and the salad were “done deals.” It was the timing. The forecast was for another day with a high well into the 90’s, hardly jam-making weather. So, remembering a link I found on Pinterest, I soaked my berries in a 10% vinegar solution for 10 minutes, to prevent mold, and refrigerated the red beauties. One would think that this would be where this tale ends. Yes, one would think …

Crostini of Goat Cheese with Strawberry Balsamic & Black Pepper Jam

You see, the original recipe would make only 1 jar of jam and it wasn’t processed, meaning it had to be refrigerated and used within 3 to 4 weeks. Well, I need to make enough jam to give jars to an entire team of tasters, as well as my Zia, and this recipe just wouldn’t do. So, I went looking for a canning recipe that remained true to the original, while making enough for each of my devoted tasters. Luckily, I found two. The first recipe, from Canadian Living Magazine, gave me canning instructions but the amount of balsamic required was quite a bit less than the amount used in the original. Not being an experienced canner, I didn’t know whether increasing the amount of balsamic would ruin the “set” of my jam. I had no choice, therefore, but to look for another recipe — and I and found one on Epicurious.com. With a balsamic amount proportional to that used in the original, a couple of commenters stated that they canned it without any problem. Eureka! Now armed with this new-found knowledge, I braved the heat and set pots of water to boil, as I cleaned and hulled my strawberries. So, to be fair, I’ll credit Sarah’s Place, Sydney’s Kitchen, Epicurious.com, and Canada for the inspiration for today’s recipe.

 *     *     *

Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar and Black Pepper Jam Recipe 

yield: approx 8 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, quartered (approx. 2 quarts, whole)
  • 4½ cups sugar – separated
  • 1 envelope (49 g) low-sugar pectin
  • 1 tsp butter (optional)
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ cup + 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cracked black pepper

Directions

To Prepare

  1. Sterilize the jars and wash the jar lids and rings in hot, soapy water. Place lids and rings in a deep bowl and pour near-boiling water over them.
  2. Start bringing to boil a large, deep canning kettle of water to be used for the canning process and a second, smaller pot of water to be used to replenish water that may boil away during the canning process.
  3. Mix the pectin with ¼ cup of the sugar. Set aside.
  4. Working in batches, add sliced berries into a large bowl and use a potato masher to smash them. Continue until all are equally smooshed.

To Make the Jam

Thanks, Sarah!

  1. Place the strawberries and the pectin-sugar mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot over a med-high heat. A Dutch oven works nicely. Add butter, if desired, to limit foam.
  2. Stirring frequently, you are heating the berries until a rolling boil is achieved at about 220˚F. A rolling boil is one that will not dissipate when the pot’s contents are stirred.
  3. Add the remaining sugar and stir well. Stir frequently while you wait for the pot to return to a roiling boil.
  4. Once a rolling boil has returned, keep stirring for exactly one minute before removing the pot from the heat.
  5. With a large spoon, carefully skim the surface to remove any foam.
  6. Add balsamic vinegar and pepper. Stir well to thoroughly combine.

To Can

  1. Using a funnel and large ladle, fill each jar to ¼ inch from the rim. Wipe the rim to make sure no jam has spilt, place a lid on each jar, and then the ring, tightening until “finger tight” but not as tight as you can make it. Act quickly, filling and capping all the jars.
  2. Jars placed directly on the kettle’s bottom might burst, so, a rack of some sort must be put into the canning kettle to cover the bottom. Many large pots have one, as do many pressure cookers. (I use a rack from an old pot that has long since been discarded.)
  3. Keep each jar level as you place them, one by one, into the canning kettle filled with now boiling water. The jars should not touch each other, nor should they be allowed to tip over. Depending upon the size of the kettle and number of jars, you may need to work in batches.
  4. Once the jars are in the kettle, make sure that there is at least one inch of water over the top of the tallest jar(s). If not, add boiling water from the smaller pot mentioned in Step 2 of  To Prepare.
  5. Cover the pot and begin timing when the water returns to the boil. The jars must be boiled, “processed”, for 10 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet on a level surface and line it with a clean kitchen towel.
  7. Once 10 minutes have passed, carefully remove each jar and place it on to the towel-lined baking sheet. Leave about an inch separating the jars.
  8. Once all the jars have been processed and placed on the baking sheet, remove the baking sheet & jars to a place that is draft-free and where they will remain undisturbed for 24 hours.
  9. After 24 hours have passed, check each jar to insure it’s sealed and then store on a shelf in a cool, dark place, where it will stay fresh for months.

Notes

According to several commenters on the Epicurious website, once canned, it is best to let the jam sit for a week before sampling it. The flavors blend and the pepper becomes more pronounced.

Once opened, the jam should be refrigerated and fully used within a month.

One last thing

I did make Michael’s salad and it was every bit as good as I had hoped.

*     *     *

By any other name … 

“Elizabeth Taylor”

*     *     *

A Slightly Wilted, Very Tasty, Surprisingly Filling, Spinach Salad

Posted on by
86

I hadn’t intended to share this recipe yet but, over the weekend, my vegetarian friend and fellow Wrigley Field denizen, Cynthia, convinced me to write it up and post it now. So, my dear Cubs Fan, this one’s for you …

*     *     *

*     *     *

I first saw this salad prepared a few weeks ago, just prior to Christmas, but my mind was too occupied with thoughts of the holiday dinners-to-come to give it any real consideration. I’ve always enjoyed a spinach salad, a trait Mom & I shared, but the thought of having a salad as a meal around the holidays is so not me. And then came the New Year’s Day porchetta (roasted pork).

Now, I thoroughly enjoyed that roast. It was everything I had hoped it would be and certainly lived up to my recollections of the porchette of my childhood. I, also, enjoyed the pork sandwiches and panini that followed but there came a point, much to my surprise, where the idea of another sandwich, porchetta or otherwise, was not the least bit enticing. Worse yet, and most unbelievably, I’d had my fill of pasta, too! One afternoon, I found myself walking around a grocery and nothing was the least bit appealing. You hear about this  happening to others but never in a million years do you think it will happen to you.

Dazed and confused, I pushed my cart passed the meat counter, beyond the seafood, through the dairy aisle, and into the produce section. What to do, what to do? That’s where it hit me. Spinach salad! As my anxiety waned, I began to remember the ingredients required. Luckily, I already had everything I needed at home, save the spinach. Moments later, with renewed vigor and a bag of baby spinach, I was out the door and on my way home. That evening, I dined on a spinach salad so good that I’ve prepared it twice again since that first meal. That’s right. Me. Eating salads for dinner! (Just how many Signs of the Apocalypse are there?)

*     *     *

A Slightly Wilted, Very Tasty, Surprisingly Filling, Spinach Salad Recipe

serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, separated
  • 1/2 lb bacon cut into 1/2 inch strips (lardons)
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock (water may be substituted)
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 1 bag (8 oz) pre-washed baby spinach
  • 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar, more or less to taste
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a sauté pan over med-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until cooked and crispy along the edges.
  2. Add the shallots and continue sautéing until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes until soft.
  3. Use the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, then bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
  4. Add all but 1 tbsp of the balsamic vinegar and stir. Taste the dressing and adjust, using more balsamic or olive oil, depending upon your preference. Remove from heat.
  5. In another, non-stick, skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over med-low heat.
  6. Gently add each of the 4 eggs to the pan, being careful to keep the yolks whole. Season with salt & pepper.
  7. Fry the eggs until the whites are thoroughly cooked but the yolks remain soft.
  8. Dress the spinach with the warm dressing in a large bowl. Mix well to allow the spinach to wilt evenly.
  9. Apportion the salad across 4 plates. Place a fried egg atop each salad and serve.

*     *     *

Notes

The ingredients can be easily adjusted to suit your tastes and/or the number of servings required. If you prefer your salad heavily wilted, dress the spinach with the warm dressing while the eggs are frying. If you prefer your spinach more firm, dress the spinach just prior to placing the eggs on top.

For you, Cynthia, and your fellow vegetarians: just skip the bacon, increase the olive oil to make up for the lack of bacon fat, and use water in place of the chicken stock. And, as always, Go Cubs!

*     *     *

Inspired by Michael Symon

*     *     *